Starter for automobile-engines



J. F. COLLINS.

STARTER FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30 I920.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

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Patnted 1m 13, 1921.

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PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. COLLINS, F PHILADELPHIA, I9EIN'NSYLVANIA.

STARTER FlDR AUTOMOBILE-ENGZNES.

Application filed. July 30,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. CoLLINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starters for Automobile-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in starters for automobile engines, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device of this description which may be readily applied to an automobile, and when so applied will permit the driver to start the engine without leaving his seat.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective train of gearing through which the power may be transmitted increasing the speed of the fly wheel shaft of the engine relative to the speed of the mechanism at the point of the application of power. A

A still further object of my invention is to provide for freeing the starting mechanism .when the engine has been put in motion so as to prevent the injury of said mechanism.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims. y

In order that those slrilledin the art to which this invention appertains may understand how tomake and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:- I

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the device partly in section and shown in relation to the power plant.

Fig. 2, is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1.

.Fig. 3, is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged view of the slidable shaft.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, 1 represents a casing which may be attached to the floor of an automobile, 2 is a .lever which may be operated either by foot 55 01 hand loosely centered about the shaft 3 Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

1920. Serial 1'50. 400,682.

and carries a pawl 4 which engages in a ratchet gear 5 attached to the shaft 3; also mounted upon the shaft 3 is a bevel ear 6 meshing into the bevel pinion 7 the sha t of which runs in a bearing 8 in the casing 1, on the other end of which shaft is attached one member 9 of the universal joint 10 to which is attached the shaft 11. Said shaft 11 is connected with one member of a second universal joint 12 the other member of said joint bein carried by a shaft journaled in the bearing 13 of the casing 14: and said shaft has attached to its opposite end the gear 15 which in turn meshes. into a pinion 16 carried on a shaft 17 in the bearing 18 and the shaft 1'? has secured upon its opposite end the gear wheel 19 which meshes into a pinion 20 carried upon. a shaft 21 journaled in an extended bearing 22. U11 the outward end of the shaft 21 is mounted a sprocket wheel 23. A chain 24: running upon the sprocket wheel 23 drives the sprocket wheel 25. The sprocket wheel 25 is loosely journaled upon the shaft 26 and carries an extension hub 27 having recesses 28 in which are inserted balls or rollers 29, and these may be either of steel or the combination of higher friction material such as leather and aluminum. The surface of the extension hub 27 is inclined-as shown at 30 so that under ordinary conditions the rotation of the sprocket 25 will force the rollers 29 into contact with the surface 31 of the clutch member 32 upon the 'end of which are formed the clutch jaws 33 of the usual construction.

The clutch member 32 is held in place upon the shaft 26 by the collar 34, and the shaft 26 extends through the bearing 35 upon the engine frame and carries a collar between which latter and the bearing 35 is interposed a spring 37 so that the clutch jaws 33 will normally be held out of operative position with the main shaft 26 of the engine. On the outer side of the sprocket wheel 25 is mount-. ed the wedge shaped extensions 38 and on the inner side of the bearing 35 is mounted corresponding wedge shaped extensions 39. The rotation of the sprocket wheel 25 will cause the shaft 26 to rotate and the wedge extensions 38 and 39 will immediately move said shaft 26 in the direction of the arrow compressing the spring 37 and engaging the clutch 33 to the corresponding member 33 of the clutch in the engine shaft.

It will be seen that the initial rotation of the shaft 26 will put the clutch members 33 and 33 into mesh and the continued rota tion of this shaft will start the engine by iving sufficient rotation to the shaft 26 and t at as soon as the engine is started the frictional clutch mechanisms 27, 29 and 32 will permit the engine shaft to run ahead of the shaft 26 which action will throw the clutch member 33 out of engagement with the clutch member 33 in the usual manner permitting the spring 37 to return the shaft 26 to its normal inactive position bringing the starting mechanism to rest.

As will be readily seen pressure upon the lever 2 will cause a rapid rotation of the sprocket wheel 25 and the rotation of the gearing between these two points can be in any proportion desirable. The flexible connection made up by theuniversal joints on the ends of the shaft 11 will allow of con siderable variation in elevation between the casing 14 attached to the engine frame by the bolts 40 so that accurate alinement ofthe casing 1 with the casing 14 is unnecessary.

While I have shown a lever in the form of a foot lever it may be extended so as to be utilized as a hand lever.

In practice I have found that a starter built in accordance with the improvements above set forth is exceedingly efiicient and will readily start the engine and as soon as said engine is started the starting mechanism is freed so as to prevent shocks or wear and tear.

Of course I do not wish to'be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

. Having thus, fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is '1. In an automobile engine starter, a sprocket wheel, a friction clutch mechanism carried by said sprocket wheel, a shaft upon which said clutch mechanism is mounted, means moving said shaft lengthwise in one direction by the initial rotation of the sprocket wheel, a spring for moving said shaft in the reverse direction when released, means carried by said shaft for engagement with the engine shaft, a train of gearlngin which said sprocket wheel is included, and means for manually actuating said gearing in one direction.

2. A starter for internal combustion engines comprising a shaft, means for connecting and disconnecting said shaft with the shaft of the engine, a frictional clutch mounted upon saidshaft, sprocket teeth carried by one member of said clutch, a second sprocket wheel, a sprocket chain gearing the two sprocket wheels together,

a shaft upon which the second sprocket wheel 1s mounted, a pinion mounted upon sions as to increase the speed from theshort shaft to the sprocket wheel shaft, means for manually revolving the gearing in one directiomand a universal shaft connecting the last named means with said short shaft. 3. In a starter for internal combustion engines, the combination of a casing, a ratchet shaft journaled in said casing, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted upon said shaft, a pawl pivoted to said lever and adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet for actuating the latter in one direction, a bevel gear mounted upon the inner end of the ratchet shaft, a bevel pinion meshing with said gear, a short shaft upon which said pinion is mounted, said shaft being journaled in said casing, a second casing, a second short shaft journaled in the second casing, a universal shaft connecting the two short shafts, a gear on said second named short shaft, a sprocket wheel having a shaft journaled in a bearing carried by said second casing, a pinion mounted upon the inner end of the sprocket wheel shaft, a train of gear connecting the gear carried by the second short shaft and the pinion carried by the sprocket wheel shaft, said gearing being of such dimensions as to increase the speed from the second short shaft to the sprocket wheel shaft, a slidable shaft, a stationary bearing in which said last named shaft is mounted, frictional clutch mechanism mounted upon said slidable shaft, sprocket teeth carried by one member of the frictional clutch mechanism, a sprocket chain running over the sprocket wheel and said teeth, a cam carried by one member ofthe frictional clutch mechanism, a cam carried by the stationary bearing, said cams being so placed relative to each other as to move the slidable shaft inward uponthe initial rotation of the frictional clutch mechanism, a spring for retracting said slidable shaft when the cams have tion of said extension hub, friction rolls interposed between the extension hub and the clutch member, said clutch member adapted to engage with a suitable clutch carried by the en ine shaft, and means for revolving the sli able shaft.

5. In combination with a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a frictional clutch mechanism comprising a slidable shaft,- an extension hub mounted upon said shaft, sprocket teeth carried by said hub, said hub havin cutaway portions, friction rolls fitted in said cutaway portions,

a clutch member rotatably mounted upon 10 said shaft and inclosing said friction rolls, and a clutch carried by said clutch member for enga ement with a clutch member carried by is ie engine shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 15 aflixed my signature.

JOHN F. COLLINS. 

